Marching Forth!

" And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way ." Numbers 21:4 How true it is, that God's ways are not our ways!  The way God often uses is the way that is inefficient, long, difficult, and indirect.  Instead of bringing us directly to His desired end, He leads us on the most roundabout course.  The children of Israel were not strangers to this feeling.  They reached the very doorstep of the Promised Land and were turned back because of their unbelief.  Even with the presence of God leading the people, they often had to circumvent land they would have preferred to pass through.  They were continually having to leave the well-worn track and trail blaze.   Having to go the "hard way," the people were discouraged.  Their souls were " much discouraged because of the way ." There is no shortage of trials and difficulties we experience ...

In a few days, I will be taking a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles.  As the day of my departure draws nigh, the occasional sound of a plane in the distance reminds me of that fact.  It has been two years since my last visit to the United States.  It's a strange thing to have lived in the San Diego for most of my life but to feel like a stranger heading back.  Don't get me wrong:  I know most of the streets, freeways, suburbs quite well.  By God's grace I should be able to recognise family and friends, though I probably won't remember all the names I once did.  I am coming back to people who have changed, and I have changed too - hopefully for the better and wiser! I was born in San Diego, but San Diego is no longer my home.  This was settled even before I left San Diego for Sydney in 2010.  God brought my heart to Australia long before my family came or our stuff arrived in a container.  Sydney is where I currently reside, yet technic...

This morning I found the passage when Moses struck the rock at Meribah most compelling.  When the people complained about the lack of water, Moses wisely sought the LORD.  God told him to speak to the rock and water would flow from it and supply water for all Israel.  Understandably annoyed by the complaints and murmuring of the people, the frustration of Moses was evident:  " Hear, you rebels!  Must we fetch you water out of this rock ?"  Instead of speaking to the rock according to God's command, Moses struck the rock twice and water issued forth.  The people were glad to have water, but God was not pleased with Moses and Aaron. Now I have often heard people say the sin of Moses was the fact he "misrepresented God."  I am sure Moses was guilty of this infraction as all people are, even those who have been called to lead in various church ministry.  But that is not the sin God cited.  Numbers 20:12 makes it clear:  " Then the LO...

In our natural state we cannot discern spiritual truths.  When we are born again by grace through faith and receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can become Christian "yes" men.  We read the Bible and nod our heads in approval, but we can fail to see that the radical precepts and truths of scripture have yet to be actually lived out in our lives.  We know the truth in a superficial and theoretical sense, but there has not been implementation.  The things we agree with have not been put into practice, or we have put the scripture into practice with rigid inflexibility.  Like a child dancing in a circle with his hobby horse, we can come to a point when we do not seek or even desire further transformation according to God's Word.  We have established beliefs through which all scripture is filtered, and even God cannot change our minds.  Instead of allowing scripture to challenge us to see things in a new light, we can become stuck in a rut A.W. Tozer cal...

" Your fingers would remember their old strength better... if they grasped your sword ."  Gandalf , " Lord of the Rings:  The Two Towers " to King Theoden This quote is from one of my favourite scenes in the Lord of the Rings movies directed by Peter Jackson.  King Theoden had long been under the the control of the evil wizard Saruman, and as a result the king was decrepit and listless.  He was a puppet in the hands of an oppressive ruler who sought to destroy him and his kingdom.  In his ear whispered Grima Wormtongue, a once loyal adviser to Theoden who had covertly become a servant of Saruman.  Gandalf was wise to see who truly was in control and "drew Saruman like poison from a wound."  Once freed of the magic bonds, Theoden transformed back to the king who could recognise friend from foe.  His long nails and wizened beard melted away, as the king came to his senses. It was at this moment when King Theoden looked at his hands and sa...

In my morning devotions, I am reading through Numbers.  How impressive is the meekness of Moses!  He was a man who remained faithful to God despite opposition and struggles.  Here is a man who did not fight for himself, but committed his life - trials, reputation, and all - into the awesome hands of God.  He is really an Old Testament foreshadowing of how Jesus Christ lived ( 1 Pet. 2:23 ).  Moses was meek because he knew God.  He couldn't for a moment allow his authority given him by God go to his head.  He was an vagabond killer, a shepherd, and a servant of the Most High God.  When challenged, he fell on his face before God and submitted to His rule. After the rebellion of Korah, the people were upset about the outcome.  They assembled against Moses and Aaron, and accused Moses of murdering God's people.  God sent a plague among the people and they began to die.  Seeing this, Moses quickly moved into action to save the people f...

There is a story behind every scar.  Some are a result of an accident or work injury.  On my body I have scars from injuries I caused, and some caused by others.  Over time the scars may fade, but the wound is not easily forgotten.  I used to have a scar running down the bridge of my nose given me by my brother.  He wanted to "play dinosaurs," and my dinosaur playing days were over seconds after I agreed to the game!  I still bear the scar of a see-saw being slammed into my face and opened my lower lip on the playground in primary school.  In my right eyebrow is hidden a scar I am responsible for.  When I worked in my trade a pulled on a wire with end-nippers.  The wire snapped and boom!  I whacked myself in the face and opened up a deep gash.  For the most part, my scars are a testimony of carelessness or folly - either mine or of someone else. There is one scar I earned worthily.  I was probably around eight or nine years o...

On Wednesday evenings, we hold a prayer meeting at our church building.  Last night was a special blessing.  It is wonderful to gather with fellow Christians to praise God, intercede for others, and lay petitions at His feet.  What made the time more special still was the silence.  There is no "awkward silence" when we approach the throne of God.  It is in those times of silence when God often speaks because we have given Him permission by waiting on Him, without demands or selfish expectations.  No one enjoys a relationship that is based upon someone always wanting something:  the only time they contact you is when they want you to do or give something to them.  I think our relationship with God can be like that.  We tend to pray when we want something.  But just like you appreciate friends who love and simply enjoy spending time you, so we ought to approach God to spend time with Him - not just to achieve our ends.  God is graciou...

People face many challenging circumstances during their lives, Christian or not.  When we are in the midst of a bitter trial, it is natural for us to desire God to change the difficult circumstances we face.  As much as we want our situation to change, God wants to change us right where we are.  A lot of time in my Christian walk I was crying out to God to change my circumstances when God instead desired to use them to change me! Just like repentance is a continual process, God wants to keep reforming us as we are transformed by the renewing of our minds.  When we read His Word, it should confront our fleshly ideas and misunderstandings.  Once we embrace the fact God remains in control, we can face trials and temptations with renewed vigour, looking to the One who has supplied all our needs by His grace.  Instead of looking to escape, God turns our hearts to seek Him in midst the trial.  This increases our faith. I love the picture provided when Ki...

Colossians 1:18 says of Jesus Christ, " And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence ."  Many times in the New Testament, the relationship shared between Jesus and the church is compared to the head and a body.  Even as a body cannot function without a head, so the church cannot properly function without Christ.  A mistake that many people make is they reduce "the church" to their local fellowship.  If offense, strife, or division occurs, people stand in judgment of one another, adding sin to sin.  When we are hurt, our tendencies are to lash out or withdraw.  Thus hurting people move from church to church or cease fellowship altogether because of what they have suffered.  They pin blame on the "church" or even God for their negative experiences instead of the flawed people which comprise it. I don't want to minimise the pain or rejection many people have...

I recently finished reading Church Zero:   Raising 1st Century Churches of the the Ashes of the 21st Century Churc h by Peyton Jones.  I was blessed and challenged by it.    Perhaps there might be some who may be a bit put off by the large amount of pop culture references, but the substance is scripturally sound and thought provoking.  It encouraged me to seek God's direction and stay the course.  It caused me to examine myself and the ministry of the fellowship I am part of.  It also was another confirmation concerning things God has already been saying:  we cannot just keep "doing church" as we have seen traditionally modeled, but must embrace the scriptural model revealed in the book of Acts.  Jones emphasises the need for kingdom expansion through church planting, not building empires that become insular and hungry for more people so we can afford better toys. There was one time when our "modern" worship services were cutting edge,...

With God, all things are possible.  It may be often quoted, but this truth is seldom believed.  There are many people in scripture who certainly believed in God's existence, had a living relationship with Him, and yet had doubts.  Moses, one of the great fathers of faith, had moments of doubt like all of us.  Even those with genuine faith have a great need for their faith to be renewed and strengthened, growing upon the foundation of God's Word and His faithfulness. After God miraculously delivered the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, the people complained because they didn't have meat to eat.  They suffered from the common malady of a "selective memory."  While they toiled in Egypt under heavy burdens and an oppressive regime, they cried out for deliverance.  But when God delivered them, they only remembered the fresh vegetables and meats that were available to them after a brutal day's work.  Their ungrateful hearts and covetousness a...

This morning at Calvary Chapel Sydney we finished 2 Samuel 5 during the morning service.  One of the points which impacted me was how after God defeated the Philistines who encamped in the valley, those who fled left their idols behind.  Their false gods were exposed as the feeble nothings they truly were.  The Philistines brought their idols to the field of battle, thinking that by their presence they would gain the victory.  In the end, the idols left behind were gathered by David's men and burned. Two times in the chapter, God fought for His people Israel and defeated the Philistines.  The key to their victory was that David first sought the LORD for guidance and walked in obedience to His commands long before the fight was enjoined.  There were two battles fought against the same enemy in the same valley, yet God directed David with two very different courses of action.  The first time God told David to go up against them directly to fight, and ...

Last night I read in James, " My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations... "  Falling isn't a joyful experience.  Skinned knees, broken bones, torn clothes, and embarrassment can all be effects of a fall.  Yet this is the very first exhortation James gives in his epistle:  " Count it all joy when you fall ."  In context, James is not speaking of a literal fall or being overtaken by sin.  He is talking about times in our lives when we experience difficult trials.  The trial itself may not be joyful, but in Christ we can respond with pure joy knowing that God is working for our good and His glory through it.  James 1:2-4 says, " My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing ."  When our faith is tested, patience is produced.  It is G...

" Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created ." Revelation 4:9-11 In a world preoccupied with acquiring, how thought provoking it is to fix our eyes on this heavenly scene of worship.  When the living creatures praise God who sits on the throne, the elders fall before Him and worship Him.  Their worship is not limited to words, but they cast their crowns before the throne of God.  These were crowns given them by God.  Crowns are valuable.  Even more importantly, they represent authority.  Usually tooled from precious metals and adorned with priceless jewels, it wouldn't...

The Shulamite says in Song of Songs 3:1-4 :  " By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. 2 "I will rise now," I said, "and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love." I sought him, but I did not find him. 3 The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said, "Have you seen the one I love?" 4 Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, until I had brought him to the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her who conceived me ." Have you ever felt far from God?  Even people who have trusted in God sometimes feel far from Him.  We know that if God feels far it is not He that has abandoned us, but we have lost sight of Him.  Sometimes it is our doing through wandering, a season of trial may overtake us, or an attack of the enemy of our souls may lay us low.  We know Whom we have loved, but He does not...

I overheard a song yesterday in a restaurant and commented to my friend, "Do you know what band that is?  Who is the artist?  It sounds like Beck."  Much to my surprise, my friend pulled out his mobile phone and fired up "Shazam," an app which in seconds was able to discern the song amid the chatter and noises of a crowded restaurant!  Will the modern conveniences of technology ever cease?  The song we heard above the background was " Lost Cause " by Beck.  Listening to the song made me feel good, but when I read the lyrics later it made me sad.  It is a tragic message that resonates in a fallen world. The refrain goes, " Baby you're lost; baby you're lost; baby you're a lost cause.  I'm tired of fighting; I'm tired of fighting - fighting for a lost cause ."  From a human perspective, we have all known people who needed help beyond themselves but have refused it.  It can be disheartening and even devastating when people are...

What do you suppose is the best evidence of Jesus Christ's resurrection?  The empty tomb?  The historical evidence?  The biblical accounts?  While all of these are credible, there might be evidence that holds more sway than all these:  the new life of a born-again believer.  A transformed life through the power of the Holy Spirit is a divine revelation of God's love, power, and grace as our living Saviour Jesus Christ lives His life through us.  People might discount the authority of scripture in ignorance.  They may wrongly believe that the resurrection account was a fabrication.  But they cannot long deny the transformation of a person by a real relationship with the living God. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 3:16 , " And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. "  Jesus is Imm...